When you think of luxury sedans, qualities such as comfortable, calm and quiet come to mind. Performance is often a quality neither sought after nor exercised by those who own such expensive vehicles. However, there's a sect of enthusiasts who demand the size and presence of a big sedan, but desire the power and handling of a sports car. Several manufacturers meet this demand, but one has tried harder with a series of cars based on its existing production vehicles.
In the mid-90s, Audi altered its A6 and A8 platforms into a crossbred class of sport and luxury. Identified by an "S" for Sport, the S6 and S8 would offer improved power and handling but maintain luxury qualities.
Ten years have passed since the S6 and S8 were introduced, and in that time Audi has continued to enhance the sedans with their innovation.
Motorsports has been at the heart of the Audi brand and its research. The knowledge learned from building racers such as the R8 and R10 TDI, both winners of the 24 Heures du Mans, have improved the performance of its consumer offerings.
The development of Fuel Straight Injection (FSI) technology has changed everything. FSI adds precisely metered fuel at high pressure directly into the combustion chambers. This gives the highest, most efficient combustion, translating into more power.
The new S6 and S8 come factory-equipped with massive 5.2 liter V10 engines featuring FSI. The S6 is tuned to 435hp and the S8 carries 450hp. In reality, the engine is detuned because it's based on the 500hp Lamborghini V10. Despite this, the S6 has a 0-60mph time of 5.1sec, while the S8 can do it in 4.9sec. Both share a top speed of 155mph.
The brute power of these naturally-aspirated sedans is comparable to the fastest sports cars. To test Audi's claims, we ventured to Montreal, Canada where the two cars were at our disposal for a day.
Driving impressions
It was like a scene out of a car commercial. The autumn sun emerged in the clear blue sky, the leaves were changing to incredible hues of red, orange and yellow, the roads were smooth and freshly paved with little or no traffic, and I had keys to an Audi S6 and S8. But what could two big hitters do in the beautiful, open roadways of Canada?
First, I'm biased. Smaller cars fit me better and I imagined the Audis would be sluggish compared to the nimble hatchbacks I'm used to. Boy, was I wrong.
From a standstill, both cars accelerate well, especially after 2500rpm where the torque feels strongest. The S6 has a louder exhaust note, but both are refined. Each has a sport mode to give them tighter throttle response.
Because the cars are long and heavy, handling was my main concern. Taking both cars into a combination of tight twisties, long dips and sudden rises, the S6 and S8 handled incredibly well. Audi notes the suspension is tuned stiffer than the base models, with better shocks and springs. There was some body roll from both cars, but for their size they handled well. The steering remains tight yet effortless. In addition, the quattro drivetrain maintained grip when pushing the limit.